I have a first-time broody hen. She was sitting on three eggs. One hatched yesterday (Saturday). One hatched this morning. At 6:00pm today I reached under and found a dead chick that I removed, along with any egg shells. So, she's sitting on nothing and has two chicks peeping at her.
The chick that hatched yesterday is acting very hungry. It is pecking at her eyes and eyelids and she, in turn, is pecking back at it to make it let go of her eyelid (understandably!).
I have chick starter right next to the nest and she's eaten a bit but she isn't showing it to the chicks and they aren't eating from it (that I've seen). They don't seem to know it is food. Due to size and configuration the water is just outside her nest enclosure but less than a foot away.
I have several other chickens, all of whom push around the broody as she is at the bottom of the pecking order. So, I made a separate brooding area for her nest that only she is small enough to go into and out of (she's a bantam, others are full size).
I am wondering if she is too frightened of the big birds to get off the nest with the chicks? In case this is the problem I've shut the coop door so the big hens cannot get into the coop for the rest of the day (they have shade and water elsewhere).
Or, does she not know it is time to get off the nest now? Although she makes soft chucking sounds to the chicks she still has that kind of glazed-eye broody look about her. She was getting off the nest once per day before the first chick hatched yesterday but I did not see her off the nest yesterday or today.
Suggestions? Is this normal? Should I break up her nesting area to make her leave it--except I had planned on her using it as a safe place to sleep at night with the chicks when everyone comes into the coop.
I'd appreciate advice from those experienced with broody hens and their chicks. Thanks!
The chick that hatched yesterday is acting very hungry. It is pecking at her eyes and eyelids and she, in turn, is pecking back at it to make it let go of her eyelid (understandably!).
I have chick starter right next to the nest and she's eaten a bit but she isn't showing it to the chicks and they aren't eating from it (that I've seen). They don't seem to know it is food. Due to size and configuration the water is just outside her nest enclosure but less than a foot away.
I have several other chickens, all of whom push around the broody as she is at the bottom of the pecking order. So, I made a separate brooding area for her nest that only she is small enough to go into and out of (she's a bantam, others are full size).
I am wondering if she is too frightened of the big birds to get off the nest with the chicks? In case this is the problem I've shut the coop door so the big hens cannot get into the coop for the rest of the day (they have shade and water elsewhere).
Or, does she not know it is time to get off the nest now? Although she makes soft chucking sounds to the chicks she still has that kind of glazed-eye broody look about her. She was getting off the nest once per day before the first chick hatched yesterday but I did not see her off the nest yesterday or today.
Suggestions? Is this normal? Should I break up her nesting area to make her leave it--except I had planned on her using it as a safe place to sleep at night with the chicks when everyone comes into the coop.
I'd appreciate advice from those experienced with broody hens and their chicks. Thanks!
